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MARK WAHLBERG is back at the top of the US box office thanks to a moving new movie about an unlikely sports hero.
The PLANET OF THE APES star plays Philadelphia Eagles legend VINCE PAPALE in new film INVINCIBLE, which stormed to the top of the cinema list yesterday (27AUG06) with an opening week take of $17 million (£9.4 million).
That was enough to send last week’s (ends25AUG06) top-grossing film, SNAKES ON A PLANE, plummeting to number nine with a disappointing $5.9million (£3.3 million) second-week take.
NASCAR racing comedy TALADEGA NIGHTS: THE BALLAD OF RICKY BOBBY hangs onto the number two spot, while summer sleeper hit LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE rises to number three.
Other new entries in the top 10 were comedy BEERFEST at number four, and OUTKAST musical IDLEWILD at number eight.
Despite bringing in just $5.9 million (£3.3 million) in its opening week, Idlewild was a big winner - the film scored the best per-cinema numbers among new wide releases, averaging $6,064 (£3,368) in 973 cinemas.
Meanwhile, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN sequel DEAD MAN’S CHEST slipped out of the top 10 for the first time, but took its global tally to $962 million (£534.4 million).
Industry experts expect the JOHNNY DEPP film to pass the $976.5 million (£542.5 million) global gross of 2001’s HARRY POTTER & THE SORCERER’S STONE by the end of the week (01SEP06) - to become the third-biggest worldwide box office smash of all time.

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Emmy Award winners JEREMY PIVEN and MARISKA HARGITAY sobbed backstage after the prizegiving ceremony last night (27AUG06) as they remembered their fathers.
Piven held back tears during his acceptance speech as he paid tribute to his late father, but they flowed when reporters enquired about his moving speech.
When asked by one what he thought his father would have said if he was at the ceremony, Piven struggled with his words.
Fighting back tears, he said, "Interesting…," before sobbing, "Well he is here and he’s very proud." Hargitay was also caught out by thoughts of her father, ailing former boxing champion MICKEY HARGITAY.
The LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT actress told reporters the best thing about winning an Emmy was "that my dad was gonna be really happy." The actress’ father has been battling ill health ever since Hargitay gave birth to her first child, AUGUST, in June (06). Her father was ill in the same hospital.

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LATEST: Actor MARTIN SHEEN will commence his English literature degree at Galway’s National University of Ireland next month (SEP06).
NUI scholars confirmed the former WEST WING star, 66, will start his course in September earlier today (28AUG06).
Sheen, whose family hailed from Tipperary in Ireland, was presented with an honorary degree form the university in 2005.

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The CHARLIE’S ANGELS reunion at the Emmy Awards in Los Angeles last night (27AUG06) has reignited a proper TV get-together that fans feared they’d never see.
Original Angels FARRAH FAWCETT, KATE JACKSON and JACLYN SMITH took to the Emmys stage at the Shrine Auditorium to pay tribute to late series creator AARON SPELLING and that reunion has sparked another.
After months of resisting a planned TV reunion special, the trio is now keen to team up again to chat about their memories.
Jackson says, "I think it takes Aaron Spelling to bring us together because we’re all going in different directions and sometimes it’s about someone else."

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LATEST: Supermodel AMBER VALLETTA has completed a stint at The Meadow rehabilitation facility in Wickenburg, Arizona, for stress and non-substance-related issues.
The New York Daily News reported on Thursday (24AUG06) that the 32-year-old had checked in for treatment.
In a statement released through her publicist, AME VAN IDEN, Valletta tells American publication People, "As was correctly reported earlier this week, my stay at The Meadows had nothing to do with substance abuse or addiction; I am pleased to say I have seven years’ sobriety. But I continue every day to heal and grow as a person." Valletta began modeling at 15 and has posed for Elizabeth Arden, Louis Vuitton and Versace, among others.
She has since established a career as an actress, appearing in such films as WHAT LIES BENEATH, HITCH and TRANSPORTER 2.
Valletta is married to professional volleyball player CHRISTIAN ‘CHIP’ McCAW and they have one son, AUDEN, who is five years old.

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Emmy Award winner JEREMY IRONS has launched an attack on former British Prime Minister MARGARET THATCHER - for dumbing down television.
Irons, who picked up an honour for the Best Supporting Actor in a Miniseries at the Emmys last night (27AUG06), spoke backstage about his disappointment at the state of British TV.
The actor fears there are too many networks operating in his homeland, and he’s convinced that was part of Thatcher’s plan to take away the cultural and political importance of TV stars.
Irons ranted, "Mrs Thatcher destroyed our television in England by bleeding them (networks) of their money, basically, and allowing multiple channels.
"It was only the other day that it occurred to me that she did it because what it did, it takes the power away from television.
"Because, if you have five channels, then what people on television say has an importance. If you have 79 channels it doesn’t matter so much."

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A European team boasting model JODIE KIDD, BAND OF BROTHERS star DAMIAN LEWIS and millionaire radio DJ CHRIS EVANS have stormed to victory on the golf course, beating their US rivals for a second year running.
The winners, coached by professional COLIN MONTGOMERIE, built up a strong lead at the Celtic Manor, Wales course yesterday (27AUG06) and reached their unbeatable 90 point target today before the first group of players had even finished.
Although the All-Star Cup victory was decisive, today’s play wasn’t without drama, with Kidd terrifying fans with her wayward swing and flamboyant rocker ALICE COOPER entertaining with a large pink hat.
He said of his bizarre attire, "If you can’t win you may as well look silly." His team-mates included MEATLOAF and DR QUINN, MEDICINE WOMAN star JANE SEYMOUR who, a Brit by birth, could easily have played for the winning team.
She said of her allegiance, "I felt someone had to support America. It’s been a fantastic game." Last year’s (05) televised event featured married couple CATHERINE ZETA-JONES and MICHAEL DOUGLAS on opposing teams.
The Welsh course will also play host to 2010’s Ryder Cup between Europe and the USA. Europe’s team leader Montgomerie is widely tipped to head the professionals during that tournament too.

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Actor MATTHEW BRODERICK is recovering today (28AUG06) after falling from a horse and breaking his collar bone while vacationing in Ireland.
THE PRODUCERS star was taken to hospital in Sligo by his wife, SARAH JESSICA PARKER, yesterday (27AUG06) after she witnessed him take a tumble in the Irish countryside.
Broderick was released from hospital earlier today (28AUG06). His publicist says, "Matthew is in a little pain but is fine." He wasn’t the only celebrity treated for a horseriding injury over the weekend - RINGO STARR’s wife BARBARA BACH was hospitalised yesterday (27AUG06) after a horse broke her leg with a kick.

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Former AMERICAN IDOL winner FANTASIA BARRINO is opening a chain of beauty salons aimed at raising cash for needy single mums.
The BELIEVE singer, who is a single mum, will hand over proceeds from her new venture to a charity that benefits struggling families.

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Pop star BRITNEY SPEARS has finally sold her Manhattan, New York condominium after advertising for a buyer for more than two years.
The apartment was sold for $4 million (£2.2 million), $1 million (£555,000) more than the TOXIC singer paid when she purchased it four years ago, but $2 million (£1.1 million) less than her asking price.
Spears owned the condo before her marriage to KEVIN FEDERLINE and the birth of their son, SEAN PRESTON.
As recently as May (06), the three bedroom and four bathroom, fourth-floor apartment, had been priced at $4.55 million (£2.5 million).
The posh pad also boasts a media room, library and terrace.
Previous owners were ROLLING STONE KEITH RICHARDS and hip-hop mogul RUSSELL SIMMONS, while CHER was once a neighbour.
CHRIS TOLAND of the Corcoran Group, who represented the buyers, told the Wall Street Journal that his clients are from Los Angeles and are "not celebrities."

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AMERICAN IDOL runner-up KATHARINE McPHEE has become the latest front-runner to play WONDER WOMAN on the big screen, according to Internet reports.
The pretty Californian has overcome bronchitis, laryngitis and a fractured foot in recent weeks to perform on the American Idols Live Tour, and it seems her real-life heroics have impressed movie-maker JOSH WHEDON.
A source tells TMZ.com that McPhee is among the hopefuls up for the highly-coveted lead in the Wonder Woman movie.

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PARIS HILTON is furious with CHER’s son for claiming the two had sex and worrying he caught a sexually transmitted disease from her.
ELIJAH BLUE ALLMAN, Cher’s son by rocker GREGG ALLMAN, went on the raunchy HOWARD STERN radio show last week (ends27AUG06) boasting he had a fling with Hilton before she became famous.
Allman, who is the lead singer and guitarist for the band DEADSY, claims that after the encounter he became so worried he might have contracted something he scrubbed down his private parts with household bathroom cleaner Tilex.
According to MSNBC’s The Scoop, a source claims Hilton is "not happy" about his comments, even though he described Hilton as a "sweet girl." Allman also said he had sex years ago with Hilton’s reality show co-star and former best friend NICOLE RICHIE and claims the two are still friends.

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BEYONCE KNOWLES has been reprimanded by animal rights group People for The Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) after boasting about taping a baby alligator’s mouth shut at a photo shoot for her new album.
After consulting with British reptile biology expert CLIFFORD WARWICK, PETA activists are snapping back at the pop star for allowing something so cruel to take place.
Knowles upset the animal activists by telling September’s (06) Arena magazine that the taping incident was "my bright idea," adding the reptile was so distressed, "he peed on me." Warwick has now teamed up with PETA to make sure Knowles knows that what she did was both cruel and insensitive.
In a letter to the pop star, he writes, "Humans and alligators are not natural bedfellows, and the two should not mix at events such as photo-shoots.
In my view, doing so is arguably abusive to an animal.
"Humans have historically treated alligators badly. Skin and meat traders ranch them and slaughter them via slices through their spinal cords or bludgeon them with hammers. The alligator you handled probably faces this same end, after a life of confinement in captivity.
"It seems a great pity that this animal’s problems should be added to in the course of promoting your own work."

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"Everybody’s like, ‘Tyra, you look so calm and cool and collected. I was like, ‘If you could see underneath this dress, it looks like I just come off of a waterpark ride." TYRA BANKS didn’t feel comfortable in soaring 100-degree temperatures outside the Emmy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles yesterday (27AUG06).

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Film star JULIANNE MOORE shunned Los Angeles for life in New York City because she likes to keep a sense of normality.
THE END OF THE AFFAIR star, who has a loft in the West Village with her husband BART FREUNDLICH, loves the sense of community she has found in New York.
She says, “New York, like London, is a series of little villages. It’s a small big city. I have so many friends.
“People from the garage, people from the restaurants, you go to the dog park and you know everybody on the street who has a dog.
“Everybody knows your children, everybody knows your son takes guitar lessons. It feels good.
“It’s very comforting… it’s not that people are nasty in Hollywood, it’s just very focused. Everybody’s plugged into it one way or another.”

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WILL & GRACE star ERIC McCORMACK is struggling to find acting work after being typecast as a gay man following the hit TV series.
McCormack, who played Manhattan lawyer WILL TRUMAN in the show, is desperate to branch out into serious movie roles but struggles to convince directors he can play more than a funny homosexual.
The Emmy award-winning star says, "I have this big pink cross to bear.
"I absolutely loved playing Will. There was nothing hard about it. It was wonderful. But the only downside is the aftermath.
"I meet all these film executives who tell me how much they loved Will & Grace and say they never missed an episode. Then they say, ‘So what can we do for you?’ What they could do for me is hire me to play someone else."

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MICHAEL DOUGLAS is glad he and wife CATHERINE ZETA-JONES are both Hollywood stars, because it means they never row about their work and co-stars.
The ROMANCING THE STONE star insists people who don’t act struggle to understand how jobs like sex scenes are all in a day’s work.
He explains, "I realise more and more why industry couples are together. It’s a bizarre world.
"People have an odd reaction to the celebrity thing, it doesn’t matter where you are - Washington DC, anywhere.
"People say it’s self-serving for your career, but I just think that two actors understand the process more.
"You understand your wife doing love scenes with somebody is acting. She knows that if somebody calls you on set and you say, ‘I’ve got to go,’ it’s because they’re ready to shoot. It’s been a definite plus."

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STEVEN SPIELBERG has dismissed reports he’s set to work with famed Chinese director ZHANG YIMOU, insisting he’s been misinterpreted.
Rumours were rife the movie-makers were to team up for a screen version of the classic Chinese novel, JOURNEY TO THE WEST.
However, a spokesman for the star tells Spielberg fan site SpielbergFilms.com, "There does not appear to be anything to it.
"It’s not impossible that something vaguely might have been said which was interpreted that way." Earlier this year (APR06), Spielberg signed on as a consultant to the HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS director in designing the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

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